The present invention relates to a projectile having a forward end portion which comprises a hollow, metallic nose portion, the nose portion containing a charge adapted to detonate by impact against a target without the use of a fuse. In such projectiles, the charge in the nose portion, usually a sensitive incendiary charge, acts to ignite a pyrotechnical chain in the projectile, which may contain one or more additional charges in the form of incendiary charges and/or explosive charges. The charge in the nose portion has been pressed into and fills the cavity in the nose portion all the way to the forward end thereof.
When such a projectile hits a target, the nose portion is deformed by being clenched. This causes the charge to be ignited because of the violent mechanical strain. Thus, the pyrotechnical chain is initiated and all the charges in the projectile are converted.
There is, however, a possibility of inadvertent initiation, such as when the tip of the nose portion during handling of the projectile hits a hard surface. It is possible to prevent complete conversion after such initiation by installing a mechanical safety device which prevents propagation of the pyrotechnical chain rearwardly, but such devices have been found to be unacceptibly expensive, in particular for small calibers.
The use of a liner inside of the nose portion of a projectile is per se known. For instance the German Accessibility Print 2552950 describes the use of a bitumen layer which cover the entire inner surface of a nose portion of a projectile, for the purpose of mutually protecting the charge and the nose portion against mutually injurious influence. Moreover the bitumen layer provides good adhesion between the charge and the inner surface of the nose portion. The prior art projectile, however, comprises a fuse (base fuse), and the charge in the nose portion is not adapted to and not able to initiate by itself upon impact in a target. The charge (incendiary charge) will be ignited upon initiation of an explosive charge situated rearwardly of it.